In terms of what Billy-Bob thinks is going to happen or is happening: This is actually a good distinction to make -- so good thinking.

Something will explode? No

That he will fall? No

That something other than him will fall? Noif yes, is the consequence that he fears: that the thing will break? that the thing will break something else? that the thing will strike him? the thing will strike someone else?

That something will spill? No

That he will be physically punished for getting into the situation? Yes, for svv of "physically punished"

That he will be beaten up? Noif yes, by how many people (insert LTPFLPI here, please)?

That he will be in a crash? No

That he will be physically sick? No

That he will be damaged by some sort of animal? (clawed, bitten, mauled, gored, etc.) No

That he will be shot? No stabbed? No otherwise assaulted? Yes

That he will put an eye out? No

That his face will freeze like that forever? No, but this is getting a tiny bit closer to the right forest.

Does he expect the consequence to him to be death? At the very least!!! (And yes, I know: what could be worse than death? ) Serious injury? (multiple broken bone(s)? blunt trauma? bleeding?) several minor injuries (minor broken bones (like his toes, or nose?) bruising? cuts, scrapes and/or scratches? loosened or knocked-out teeth?)

What he did that she warned him about: eat something? drink something? This onebuild something? light something on fire? go somewhere? wear something? (refuse to wear something?) do or say something to a particular person or group of peole? (attempt to?) move something? climb somewhere? jump from something or somewhere? do something to someone else ("Billy-Bob, if you take your little sister on the Tilt-A-Whirl, she'll throw up on you! You know that she gets scared on that thing.")

OK, the consequences: that he'd turn into an alcoholic? that he'd get arrested? that he'd get mugged? that he'd kill somebody? that his father would take some action? that he'd be grounded forever? that his liver would shrivel up and he'd die a horrible death? that he's become a bum? that he'd get thrown off the football team, and lose his cheerleader girlfriend, and become the laughingstock of the school?

What actually happened: he drank something that he thought was alcoholic but it wasn't (and his mother knew that it wasn't), so he thought that he was drunk, but he wasn't really?

he drank something that he thought was highly alcoholic, but it wasn't nearly as strong as he thought (and his mother knew this) so he thought that he was terribly drunk but all he was was a little bit buzzed?

OK, the consequences: that he'd turn into an alcoholic? that he'd get arrested? that he'd get mugged? that he'd kill somebody? that his father would take some action? that he'd be grounded forever? that his liver would shrivel up and he'd die a horrible death? that he's become a bum? that he'd get thrown off the football team, and lose his cheerleader girlfriend, and become the laughingstock of the school? None of them, I'm afraid. Recall that the consequences are pretty servere, and not that funny at all.

What actually happened: he drank something that he thought was alcoholic but it wasn't (and his mother knew that it wasn't), so he thought that he was drunk, but he wasn't really? No

he drank something that he thought was highly alcoholic, but it wasn't nearly as strong as he thought (and his mother knew this) so he thought that he was terribly drunk but all he was was a little bit buzzed? Yes, he was a bit buzzed -- I should clarify that his mother's prohibition was against any drinking at all, never mind getting drunk.

Was her prohibition tagged with a consequence that may not be realistic, just to get him to follow the rule? (i.e. my own mother telling me to not walk in the street or i'd become one of those "greasy spots" in the road)

if so, did the consequence "start off" with the "buzz" and lead to something much much worse?

I'm having difficulty figuring out what a teenaged boy would consider to be worse than death, never having been one, myself. Maybe I had better ask this, since it may change as Billy-Bob gets older... :

I can't speak for every male, but from my limited experience, including my own as being one, that 1) being humiliated/embarrassed and 2) being 'bested', or outdone at something are often, at least for a short while, often enough to make a young man wish he were dead, which with our shortsighted pubescent brains, is the only thing we can come up with that would 'get us out of the situation'... which is the real goal. Confusing sentence, I know, but I hope that helps and is on track....

Thanks for the info, Lewis. Most of the teenaged girls I knew when I was one would certainly have died rather than be embarrassed or shunned by their friends. Nice to know that we aren't quite so far apart.

Was her prohibition tagged with a consequence that may not be realistic, just to get him to follow the rule? YES!! Good question! (i.e. my own mother telling me to not walk in the street or i'd become one of those "greasy spots" in the road)

if so, did the consequence "start off" with the "buzz" and lead to something much much worse? No, but good thinking -- keep exploring!

Rabrab

Hi, Lewis.

I'm having difficulty figuring out what a teenaged boy would consider to be worse than death, never having been one, myself. Maybe I had better ask this, since it may change as Billy-Bob gets older... :

Teenaged = 13? 14? 15? 16? 17? 18? 19? The story I heard never does specify. I'd guess he lied about his age to get his beer, though, so I think we can put a minimum at around 16.

Rabrab, again

Is the consequence he's afraid of something that she threatened to do to him? No That she told him someone else would do to him? Yes That she told him would happen automatically if he drank alcohol? Yes

wild shot, here:Does religious belief enter into what she told him the consequence would be? into the reason he believed her? YES to both!! Very good wild shots there, Barbara. This may be the turning point...

Lzeiters, again

I can't speak for every male, but from my limited experience, including my own as being one, that 1) being humiliated/embarrassed and 2) being 'bested', or outdone at something are often, at least for a short while, often enough to make a young man wish he were dead, which with our shortsighted pubescent brains, is the only thing we can come up with that would 'get us out of the situation'... which is the real goal. Confusing sentence, I know, but I hope that helps and is on track.... Having been a teenaged boy myself, I know exactly what you mean.

Any of this relevant? Sorry, but no

Rabrab, yet again

Thanks for the info, Lewis. Most of the teenaged girls I knew when I was one would certainly have died rather than be embarrassed or shunned by their friends. Nice to know that we aren't quite so far apart. It seems that a few things can be considered universal traits of teenagers everywhere, and this is one of them.

"The Devil's gonna come up through the ground and drag you straight down to Hell!"? Very close! It's almost all there except for one tiny but important detail. So Billy-Bob climbed a tree? No, but good guess